Director, Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education

Cranbrook School is seeking an exceptional educational leader with deep specialist expertise in gifted education to lead the Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education. The successful applicant will provide strategic and educational leadership for the identification, challenge, extension and talent development of gifted and high-potential students across the Senior School.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE

The Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education is being established as a centre for gifted, talented and high-potential students. It extends beyond a program. The Institute brings together every aspect of identifying, supporting, enriching and helping these students to flourish, drawing the threads of Cranbrook's provision into one coherent whole that students, families and staff can understand and be proud of.

The Institute's work is organised around RISE, four pillars that reflect a focus on the whole child: Recognise, Individualise, Support and Extend. The Support pillar includes student flourishing and wellbeing, recognising that gifted students can find school difficult. Together the pillars provide wrap-around support for each student.

CREST (Cranbrook Research, Enrichment, Scholarship and Talent) is the Institute's pathway for academic extension and co-curricular achievement. CREST is a team experience: students prepare for and compete in Olympiads and other competitions together, finding their niche and a peer support group, celebrating one another's successes and pushing one another to perform. The Institute will also build links with universities and specialist centres, including the University of New South Wales and its Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC).

ABOUT THE POSITION





Reporting to the Deputy Head, Academics, the Director of the Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education will lead a coherent, evidence-informed approach to gifted education across the Senior School. The role will work closely with the Gifted and Talented Coordinator, Heads of Department, teachers and specialist staff to ensure that gifted and high-potential students are accurately identified, appropriately challenged in the classroom and provided with advanced pathways that develop potential into sustained achievement.

The Director will bring substantial expertise in contemporary gifted education, including identification, differentiation, curriculum compacting, acceleration, flexible grouping, enrichment, twice-exceptionality, underachievement and the social and emotional needs of gifted learners. The role will build staff capability so that effective provision for gifted students is embedded in everyday teaching as well as specialist programs.

The Director will also provide strategic oversight of CREST, Cranbrook Research, Enrichment, Scholarship and Talent, Olympiads, academic competitions, masterclasses, academic societies, mentoring, external partnerships and other advanced learning opportunities. The emphasis will be on purposeful talent development, equity of access, academic challenge and measurable impact rather than participation alone.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES





Develop and lead the School's strategy for gifted and talented education, ensuring a coherent continuum from identification through classroom provision, extension, enrichment and advanced talent development.

Lead the development and implementation of RISE (Recognise, Individualise, Support and Extend), the Institute's whole-child framework for gifted, talented and high-potential students.

Lead robust and equitable processes for identifying gifted and high-potential students using multiple sources of evidence and skilled judgement.

Work with Heads of Department and teachers to strengthen differentiation, curriculum compacting, acceleration, flexible grouping and subject-specific extension.

Oversee individual provision for students whose advanced learning needs require significant curriculum adjustment, including highly gifted and twice-exceptional learners.

Lead the Institute's approach to student flourishing and wellbeing, working with Learning Support and other staff to provide coordinated support for gifted students who may be finding school difficult.

Provide strategic leadership of CREST, Olympiads, competitions, academic extension programs, mentoring and external partnerships.

Develop CREST as a team-based pathway in which students prepare for and compete in Olympiads and competitions together, building a community that celebrates and extends its members.

Lead professional learning and build teacher capability in gifted education, identification, advanced curriculum design and evidence-informed talent development.

Work with the Gifted and Talented Coordinator to ensure strong student monitoring, program delivery, communication and follow-thr

📌 Director, Cranbrook Institute for Gifted Education (Woollahra)
🏢 Cranbrook School
📍 Woollahra